Nissan Qashqai J11 ST CVT (2014-2021)

Glad we chose this car – We live in a country town and use the car for short trips around town, and much longer trips to visit family or go on holidays. After having smaller cars, we decided an SUV would be much more practical as we got older (Higher seats, easy to enter and exit) and would also have plenty of room for our luggage when travelling. We had tried a Qashqai… Read more

as a hire car for a holiday in WA and really liked it. We looked around at a few other models, but kept coming back to the Qashqai. Bought it a year ago and it has just had it's 10000 km service at the dealership. Absolutely no issues with the car at all. Easy to handle, very comfortable, even on long trips and also liked the cap priced servicing as we know exactly how much things will cost.

Wasting money for this car – Replace all break units, battery and tyres just after 40k. Radiator fan replace after 60k. Using cheap parts for new car and spent money for replace. Not worth it. Replacing parts are more expensive than regular logbook service. Show details

Well made small SUV – Bought this car for my wife and she is enjoying it. It isn’t a driving enthusiast car but for my wife, it suits her very well. The CVT gives a “rubber band” experience when the transmission operates but she doesn’t mind it a bit. The shift is seamless and the rest of the features are delightful. Electronic parking brakes, 360 degrees camera, anti… Read more

collision braking, GPS are some of the features that she loved. The only negative is the lack of auto headlights sensor. The lack of Apple CarPlay doesn’t bother her because the mobile phone link up works. Size-wise, power to weight ratio and pleasant body design suits her to the tee.

Worst car ever had and sound system dreadful – This car has so much road noise, large turning circle for its size and the sound system is so poor I can’t even listen to it. I loved music in the car but Nissan you have gone cheap and nasty. Never buy another Nissan .  Show details

Not high quality as I expected, had a brake failure – My 2018 Qashqai only 43,000 km on it got a brake failure in the middle of the road! The brake got stuck for no reason. Told the company and dealership could not figure it out, they didnt even repair the damge to the car caused by the stuck brake.  Show details

Faulty Radiator Fan – The Radiator cooling fan has gone in my 2015 Nissan Qashqai ST. Took it to my mechanic, he was shocked to see this part needing replacing in his eyes prematurely in a car that has done 108,000k's. He phoned Nissan and couldn't believe the cost for a genuine Nissan part is $1,580.00, just the part this doesn't include installation. Thankfully he… Read more

has been able to obtain an after-market part for $500 and his cost to install is around $100. How lucky that I have a great mechanic. I recently have been informed that it is very common for this part to be faulty in Qashqai's that has around the 100,000k's on the clock. Interesting what you find out.

A thoroughly adequate car with out being special. Great packaging (though not a "family" car). Good ride and handling – 2019 Qashqai ST, automatic, white. This Qashqai was a long term (six months) work vehicle. Usage was commuting with some other driving, normally with one driver. Key specs Length = 4.39m Weight = 1376kg 2L 4 cylinder, 106kW (@6,600rpm), 200Nm (@4,400rpm) CVT auto The Qashqai is a thoroughly adequate vehicle with good ergonomics and comfort,… Read more

great packaging, solid ride and handling with few vices. What you see is what you get.

Design and Features Despite being an older design it remains attractive on the outside. A nice colour and tinted windows would have been much nicer. The interior design is clean and pleasant, being neither offensive nor offering anything special (e.g. an elevated sense of “niceness”). It’s an uncomplicated car that’s quick to get comfortable in, with most controls being easy to understand and use.

Stand out features include an electronic handbrake, keyless entry/stop/start and a leather steering wheel. The air flow on high is genuinely sensational. I’ve never had a car with better ventilation, though there are no rear vents. AEB, forward collision warning and lane departure warning are welcome additions. Other features such as “Trace Control” showed no discernible difference.

The single most annoying feature on the car is the phone operation, and it’s very annoying. Using it requires looking at the central screen at the same time as using steering wheel controls with two different hands (left hand for scrolling, right hand for selection and cancellation). Additionally the selection button is to the left of the cancellation/back button, something I find counter intuitive. In total, this needs far more concentration than what is natural and easy.

Dialling a contact is especially difficult. If the person you want is in the car’s recent calls or saved numbers, you’re ok. But if you need to find it in your phone’s phonebook, you need to manually click though one-by-one. Finding “mum” in the alphabetical list took minutes of RSI inducing clicking. You definitely want to save key contacts directly in to the car.

(Note: this is now addressed in new models by way of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto)

How it Drives The car is reasonably quiet with good comfort in the suspension. The steering is very light and quick, the car proving very nimble and easy to drive. You might expect that the increased ride height of the SUV means you can’t have ride and handling, but this isn’t the case. There’s no excessive pitching or body movement.

Performance wise. It’s adequate and decent. A little slow off the line, but once moving the car gets going when it needs to. The power to weight ratio is not particularly strong and peak torque does appear high in the rev range at 4,400rpm. But the CVT, like many modern transmissions is what makes the difference. Ease on the throttle and it will slide the revs up to access power. This lends to an effortlessness at low to mid throttle, though you will hear the engine. Essentially a good CVT transmission will hide (in a good way) what would other wise be a torque deficit. If you’ve come from a older car with a conventional four speed automatic transmission the increased options of ratios is significant and a revelation.

On paper the 2L engine has a strong specific torque output (100Nm/L) but a lower specific power output. For comparison, my 1.8L Corolla has almost the same power but with the reduced torque you’d expect from 1.8L. This is interesting, but ultimately just means that the Nissan engine doesn’t hold it’s torque output as much and for as long as other engines.

The CVT’s “manual” shifting operation is a disappointment. Choose a low “gear” and accelerate and it will upshift near the redline - like an auto. Choose a high gear and floor it, it doesn’t hold the gear but raises the RPM - like an auto. There’s little point of a manual mode like this. However, it remains good for engine braking down hills.

Practicality Let’s get one thing straight. SUV’s aren’t automatically spacious. They are higher and normally have better headroom than a hatch, both of which are true in this case.

Objectively, SUV’s are inferior in most ways - higher purchase price, heavier, greater fuel consumption, reduced acceleration (/braking/cornering), more expensive tyres. On the plus side you get the “niceness factor” of the height, easier entry and exit (good for elderly and those with child seats). The rear door opening generally remains higher for longer, especially compared to a sedan.

So how dos the Qashqai, a small SUV compare to small hatch? Yes, the ride height and headroom are there but the interior space is otherwise in the same ballpark. Boot space, at 430L, is great for it’s class (the HRV and Seltos offer slightly more) and better than most hatches (you’ll often see 300-400L). In this case the rear seats fold down but with a step up from the boot floor.

Legroom is fine, but neither great nor generous, at least in absolute terms. Keep in mind it’s only 4.39m long, so the space offered is very good for the length of the car.

If you had a rear-facing child seat then the front seat occupants would be squished (knees on or near the dash etc). If you had a pram it could well consume half the boot floor. So here’s the thing - many SUV advantages suit families, but families need increased space too and there’s just not enough in the Qashqai to be a serious family car. With older children (out of rear-facing) seats and no pram it would be viable but you’d probably want more legroom (and door opening) in the back.

If you’ve got shorter passengers or the back seats are occasional use then it’s got good fit for purpose. It’ll be adequate. The centre console is especially deep.

Costs, Servicing and Reliability This car was provided by my work with fuel included and no servicing, repairs or consumables required in the time of having the car. As such no meaningful information can be provided.

Summary In the context of small SUV’s the Qashqai is really comfortable and honest, it has great practicality and comfort for what it is. Phone operation aside, there’s nothing wrong with it. If you like the look and feel and don’t mind CVT’s, it’s probably a good car for you. At the same time, it’s not premium, the design, materials and controls don’t go above and beyond to satisfy you the way a CH-R, Subaru or a Mazda would. So it comes down to personal preference.

Also Consider Seltos and HRV if you need more space and niceness. Normal sedans and hatches if you don’t need the height - there’s several with great legroom (Subaru XV/Impreza, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Skoda Octavia, previous generation Corolla sedan, Honda Jazz). “Medium” SUV’s or other more spacious cars if that’s what you need

A great A-B car – I purchased this car in 2017 and use it daily. I've only had one issue - a friction sound from the steering column which, when investigated by Nissan, resulted in the steering column being replaced (free of charge, as the car was still under warranty). There's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in this car, but I don't give two hoots about that. … Read more

Overall, this has been a comfortable, reliable car, with a decent amount of space given it's a compact SUV.

The only negative I've found is that it's a bit of a thirsty car - not as economical as some others in its class.

Started off well, but problems starting to show – Bought the car new in 2017, it's auto, petrol and currently has done about 100k. Still gets great mileage, is nice to drive and size wise suits us. However, within the last 12 months, things are going wrong. The film/skin on the front door handles is peeling off, brake warning light comes on and in some cases the rear brakes lock on. A second… Read more

warning light has started flashing and the vehicle has now started stalling (twice in a month). Apparently the door film/skin is due to contaminants such as sunscreen or moisturiser being applied to it (so it's not covered under warranty). Not that Nissan Australia asked us if that might have happened, they just assumed it had. The brake issue was an open circuit on the rear brake (fixed now hopefully). And the stalling/warning light is yet to be identified. This last one is a concern, because it has been happening in traffic. As much as I like a lot of things about the car, the issues are a complete turn off and I would never recommend Nissan to anyone.

Good all round car – I brought this car new in 2016 and have had no problems. It has now done 27,000 Kms. It is a very economical car with the CVT transmission and performs well both in city and highway driving.. Very happy to date. Show details

1000km in, all good – Car was a great price, has most of the features we wanted, and drives well. Wife misses the automatic headlights of her last VW, and is still getting used to the parking sensors beeping at her all the time but no serious complaints so far. Haven't had to test out the automatic braking but nice that it comes even on the base model.  Show details

Just OK – The in-dash system screen is small and Nissan connect applications doesn’t work in Australia. There is no reverse sensor but the camera is ok, although the screen is small. The Running costs looks good. The driving experience is also good. But it’s a normal a good family car, the space is limited.  Show details

Love my diesel ts model so much!!! Such a good family car – I bought a 2016 ex display diesel model through my salary sacrifice for the new bubba to be and to upgrade my very old Suzuki! It’s so economical on diesel costing only $65 to fill the tank and I’m getting at least 800km to a tank!!! 900 if I do highway driving! It’s fits the pram easily in the back with groceries and I love the reversing camera… Read more

as I can really park this car anywhere in the tightest of parks! The electronic side mirrrors and Bluetooth are a luxury and make phone calls clear and easy to do! It’s a really lovely car to drive! Love the service you get from Nissan dealers too with capped priced servicing and Nissan road side warranty!

Great car and very fuel efficient – The driving experience is very good and very smooth, very great handling experience and since this car has quite low cc so it doesn't produce loud noise. The interior is very good and the legroom for the person who sit in the front is very big. Leg room might be a little limited for those who sit in the back. Hasn't got any problem with this car, has been using this car for 3 years  Show details

The Perfect Cross Over Car – After driving an awesome Suzy Swift for 4 years and having it written off by a careless driver I went out and bought a white Nissan QASHQAI. Car has plenty of cabin room for 4 adults and plenty of boot room for luggage. It has a zippy 2.0 Litre engine and CVT. Purchased as demo 2017 from Burwood Nissan. I recommend you at least test drive one. The Perfect Crossover!  Show details

great car – 2017 Nissan Qashqai STI and going great, love the car and very happy with the Pearl White colour. ..Great new car price and best of all the SUV'S we tested. Has great vision and no noise when doing over 100km k/p/h and great fuel economy and easy to drive- Great dealership no hard sell -love my Qashqai…  Show details

Great small Suv – We love our Qashqai, Heaps of Room and comfy seats. A tank of fuel cost me about $55 to $60 a fortnight which is great considering the cost of fuel now. The only thing that could be better is the suspension when you drive on uneven surface it not as sooth,  Show details

Great small suv – We love our Qashqai! Very smooth and easy to drive. We test drove a few cars of similar size but this was our top pick and reasonably priced. The reversing camera making parking a breeze, i cant live without it. A tank a fuel cost me about $60 to fill and can last me up to 2 weeks when im just running the kids around locally every day. The… Read more

only downside is that its now feeling a little small with two kids in carseats and a big pram in the back, but we make it work.

Smoothe rider – Driving my Qashkai feels smoothe. It turns so much better than my Tuscon and fuel efficiency is doing rally well. However my seat belt latch is awkward and it has no light on the passengers makeup mirror. parking is much easier now I have a rear camera but it doesn't beep so u have to make sure u watch your screen:)  Show details

Best car ever!! – I have never understood people who love their cars, I have always enjoyed my cars but never been too sad to upgrade. Now that I have my Qashqai, I wouldn't trade her for a Mustang. I love driving her on any kind of road, be it a short drive or a long one. I have driven from Townsville to Melbourne over 3 days (12 + hours daily) and the entire trip… Read more

was comfortable and safe.

On our trip to move interstate we managed to fit our entire life and our big dog who absolutely loves the comfort of the back seats and the wide seat area so that he can spread out. There is no petrol light which is only tricky initially because I am so used to my peripherals telling me when petrol is required but now I just make sure she doesn't get below a quarter of a tank.

The smooth drive, great speakers, spacious but not bulky Qashqai is an absolute must have next car, I will never leave Nissan's now that I have had a Qashqai. The fuel efficiency is phenomenal and I've driven over 40,000 KMs in the past 12 months.

With the seats down we could fit a queen eurobed which we used to take on random adventures across north queensland, we wouldn't even need a tent the Qashqai is so spacious that we could literally camp in the back with the seats down and a fully inflated Eurobed. I have been in one accident, someone went up my backside, there was not a single scratch on my car while hers was completely written off, to me that suggests a well built car and I certainly feel safe knowing I am surrounded by some secure metal :)

Great car, terrible company – This car is a super comfortable to drive, smooth on the road with minimal cabin noise. I have the base model but it still has little gems inside the car, from the digital dash settings to the controls on the steering wheel. It is great on petrol and I do drive quite a lot but only top it up once a week. I get 680-700ks to one tank in eco mode… Read more

driving very efficiently.

I love this car, my only regret is financing it, and I'd never advise anyone to do so, ESPECIALLY through Nissan Finance.

Edit*2 years later:

Have had one recall, and an oil leak that my mechanic picked up during a service which he wiped and then checked next service and it was still there.

Took it to Nissan (under warranty), told them what had happened, left it for the day only to collect it and be told they cleaned the area and wanted it back in a fortnight (great). Took it back today for a whole day and picked it up at the end of the day (stood there waiting with one of the staff walking past completely ignoring me) a sales consultant finally helped me and told me that "the leak was dry, it'll be fine until next service". My mechanic is now going to check in a week.

So now I've had nothing but horrible customer service from the dealer and the service staff.

DO NOT BUY FROM NISSAN.

Good car – Have this car since march 2015. Haven't had any huge issues with it. Drive well and good on gas. 1 tank lasted me about 1 month. Mind you, this is daily driving, about 30km every weekdays (15km each way). About 8 litres/100km. The only issue I had is from the front wheels where it squeak every time I go over a speed bump or some uneven… Read more

terrains. Brought it back to Nissan and it was fixed immediately.

I love CVT, many car enthusiast may hate it, but I don't really care what they say. You cannot feel the change in gear, at all. This makes the ride soooooooooo smooth.

- Aircon is cold,

- Heater is nice and warm,

- Good rear view camera. Works very well at night too.

- I don't have start stop button, as I am not a big fan of it. I still prefer key as it is more reliable.

- Audio equipment may not be as good as some other cars like Mazda, but it's ok if you are just listening to radio.

Roomy – The main reason for buying this car was that it could seat my family and extended family, so that when we went on holidays, we could all jump into this car, instead of driving two cars. It handles well, making for a smooth driving experience. The seats are comfy and legroom is good. So far, it performs well on the road.  Show details

Great quality SUV for the price – The Nissan Qashqai is a wonderfully versatile SUV that is well built and a peach to drive with very little road noise. There is plenty of leg and headroom and so far (7 months) it has been totally reliable. Fuel usage is good, but not great. Servicing costs are amongst the best. The only criticism I have is poor front visibility in the ST… Read more

version, but this can be overcome by buying either the TI or getting after market front sensors.

If you are considering an SUV, please take the Qashqai for a drive.

2015 Qashqai ST – Very happy with the Qashqai good performance excellent fuel economy and comfortable. The Qashqai when on coarse chip roads could be a bit quieter and gearbox a bit smoother but overall very happy. We have covered just on 10000 Klms in 6 mths and no problems. We looked at a Mazda CX3 but the Qashqai was a lot better value. Service cost for the… Read more

Nissan was cheaper also.

July 13th 2017 Update: Nissan Qashqai

Almost 12 months since we purchased the Nissan Qashqai and time to do another review. This vehicle has been super reliable and comfortable even over long distances. Very happy with fuel consumption. Transmission being a cvt takes some getting used to and could be a bit smoother on the highway. The Qashqai has had one service with the selling dealer (Cardiff Nissan) and no problems with the level of service we received plus a free loan vehicle. Overall very impressive all round we would recommend taking one for test drive.

Ideal Size And Comfort – Looked at and drove the qashqai, mazda cx3, and honda hrv. The qashqai is the leader in space, comfort, quietness and handling and performance , it is like no other.. Have had it for three months now and it is superb. It handles curves and roundabouts exceptionally well. Well done nissan  Show details

Almost there – Like our little qashqai. Great features, can't go past Nissan's 1% finance. Lots of little features that i like. Had it back to the dealer a few times at first, but all issues were fixed. We have an auto and the gearbox is very smooth. Cruise control not so much though. Unfortunately the car is like a tin can. Leaning against it leaves an indent.… Read more

I'm very particular about where I park and I've got dings. I've not experienced this with my Forester or Corollas. Other than that, great little car :)

Great To Drive And Good On Fuel For An SUV – Great to drive, good on fuel (7-9l/100km). No body roll, handles and looks great. Was perfect for the first 12 months. Recent random shudder has started possibly in the transmission when accelerating around 30-50km/h. Nissan did a transmission software update but it still has not rectified the problem. Hoping for a resolution from Nissan shortly! … Read more

Update: CVT transmission replaced by Nissan under warranty. Super good service from Unley Nissan - they even gave us a brand new Qashqai for a week while we waited. So far it appears fixed!

Bad Experience – Purchased vehicle brand new in July 2014 and since January 2015 its been back to the dealer 9 times for the same electrical fault where over time the battery runs flat and lights continually flashing on the dash. Nissans solution - start the car every second day to avoid a flat battery! Personally I will never buy another Nissan and if you do… Read more

please be aware that Nissan Aust so far have not been great to deal with in regards to communication and options. I must point out the service centre was good to deal with however they look to Nissan Aust for assistance that has been poor. We are still waiting for Nissan to come back to us with options to our ongoing issue.